Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device is provided. The display device includes a first electrode including a first electrode surface extending in a first direction and a second electrode surface connected to one end of the first electrode surface and extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction, a second electrode including a third electrode surface extending in the first direction and spaced apart from the first electrode surface and facing the first electrode surface, and a fourth electrode surface extending in the second direction and spaced apart from the second electrode surface and facing the second electrode surface, and at least one light emitting element between the first electrode and the second electrode and including a first light emitting element between the first electrode surface and the third electrode surface and a second light emitting element between the second electrode surface and the fourth electrode surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2019-0073659 filed on Jun. 20, 2019 and No.10-2020-0057033 filed on May 13, 2020 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, which is hereby incorporated by reference for allpurposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a display device, and to a method ofmanufacturing the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

The importance of a display device has increased with the development ofmultimedia. Accordingly, various types of display devices, such as anorganic light emitting display (OLED) and a liquid crystal display(LCD), have been used.

A display device for displaying an image includes a display panel, suchas an organic light emitting display panel or a liquid crystal displaypanel. Among display panels, an organic light emitting display panelincludes an organic light emitting element, such as a light emittingdiode (LED). The light emitting diode (LED) includes an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) using an organic material as a fluorescentmaterial, and an inorganic light emitting diode using an inorganicmaterial as a fluorescent material.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display device thatincludes a plurality of electrodes extending in different directionsfrom each other, and in which light emitting elements located betweenthe electrodes are aligned in various directions.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display devicethat emits light in various directions without fixing the emissiondirection of light emitted from light emitting elements.

However, aspects of the present disclosure are not restricted to the oneset forth herein. The above and other aspects of the present disclosurewill become more apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art to whichthe present disclosure pertains by referencing the detailed descriptionof the present disclosure given below.

The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to theabove-described effects, and other effects that are not described hereinwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdescription.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a display deviceincludes a first electrode including a first electrode surface extendingin a first direction and a second electrode surface connected to one endof the first electrode surface and extending in a second direction thatis different from the first direction, a second electrode including athird electrode surface extending in the first direction and spacedapart from the first electrode surface and facing the first electrodesurface, and a fourth electrode surface extending in the seconddirection and spaced apart from the second electrode surface and facingthe second electrode surface, and at least one light emitting elementbetween the first electrode and the second electrode and including afirst light emitting element between the first electrode surface and thethird electrode surface and a second light emitting element between thesecond electrode surface and the fourth electrode surface.

The light emitting element may have a shape extending in one direction,wherein a first angle, which is an acute angle between a long axis ofthe first light emitting element and the first direction, is differentfrom a second angle, which is an acute angle between a long axis of thesecond light emitting element and the first direction.

The first angle may be greater than the second angle.

The first electrode may further include a fifth surface that isconnected to the other end of the first electrode surface and thatextends in a third direction that is different from the first directionand the second direction, the second electrode may further include asixth surface that is connected to the other end of the third electrodesurface, that extends in the third direction, that is spaced apart fromthe fifth surface, and that faces the fifth surface, and the lightemitting element may further include a third light emitting elementbetween the fifth surface and the sixth surface.

A third angle, which is an acute angle between a long axis of the thirdlight emitting element and the first direction, may be smaller than thefirst angle.

Directions of the long axes of the first light emitting element, thesecond light emitting element, and the third light emitting elementcross each other.

The display device may further include a first contact electrodecontacting one end of the first light emitting element and the firstelectrode surface of the first electrode, and a second contact electrodecontacting the other end of the first light emitting element and thethird electrode surface of the second electrode.

The first contact electrode may extend from a portion in which the firstelectrode surface is connected to the second electrode surface in thesecond direction to be in contact with the second electrode surface andone end of the second light emitting element.

The third electrode surface of the second electrode may be connected tothe fourth electrode surface of the second electrode, and the secondcontact electrode may extend from a portion in which the third electrodesurface is connected to the fourth electrode surface in the seconddirection to be in contact with the fourth electrode surface and theother end of the second light emitting element.

The second electrode may include a first fragment including the thirdelectrode surface, and a second fragment spaced apart from the firstfragment and including the fourth electrode surface.

The display device may further include a third contact electrodecontacting one end of the second light emitting element and the secondelectrode surface of the first electrode, and a fourth contact electrodecontacting the other end of the second light emitting element and thefourth electrode surface of the second fragment.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a displaydevice includes a first electrode including a first electrode extensionportion extending in a first direction, and a first electrode expansionportion formed by expanding at least a portion of the first electrodeextension portion, a second electrode including a second electrodeextension portion extending in the first direction to be spaced apartfrom the first electrode extension portion and to face the firstelectrode extension portion, and a second electrode bending portionformed by bending at least a portion of the second electrode extensionportion to be spaced apart from the first electrode expansion portionand to face the first electrode expansion portion, and at least onelight emitting element between the first electrode expansion portion andthe second electrode bending portion, and having a shape such that adirection of a long axis of the at least one light emitting elementcrosses a direction of a long axis of another light emitting element.

The first electrode expansion portion may include a first electrodesurface extending in the first direction, and a second electrode surfaceextending in a second direction that is different from the firstdirection, the second electrode bending portion may include a thirdelectrode surface spaced apart from the first electrode surface andfacing the first electrode surface, and a fourth electrode surfacespaced apart from the second electrode surface and facing the secondelectrode surface, and the at least one light emitting element mayinclude a first light emitting element between the first electrodesurface and the third electrode surface, and a second light emittingelement between the second electrode surface and the fourth electrodesurface.

The display device may further include a first contact electrodecontacting the first electrode expansion portion and one end of thefirst light emitting element, and a second contact electrode contactingthe second electrode bending portion and the other end of the firstlight emitting element.

The display device may further include a third electrode between thefirst electrode expansion portion and the second electrode bendingportion, and a fourth electrode between the third electrode and thesecond electrode bending portion, wherein the third electrode includes aplurality of third electrode fragments spaced apart from each other inthe first direction, and wherein the fourth electrode includes aplurality of fourth electrode fragments spaced apart from each other inthe first direction.

The light emitting element may include a third light emitting elementbetween the first electrode expansion portion and one of the thirdelectrode fragments, a fourth light emitting element between the thirdelectrode fragment and one of the fourth electrode fragments, and afifth light emitting element between the fourth electrode fragment andthe second electrode bending portion.

The third electrode fragments may include a first sub-fragment spacedapart from, and facing, the first electrode surface of the firstelectrode expansion portion, and a second sub-fragment spaced apartfrom, and facing, the second electrode surface, and the at least onelight emitting element may include a sixth light emitting elementbetween the first electrode surface and the first sub-fragment, and aseventh light emitting element between the second electrode surface andthe second sub-fragment.

The display device may further include a third contact electrodecontacting the first sub-fragment and one end of the sixth lightemitting element, and a fourth contact electrode contacting the secondsub-fragment and one end of the seventh light emitting element, whereinthe third contact electrode is spaced apart from the fourth contactelectrode in the first direction.

According to the other embodiment of the present disclosure, a displaydevice includes a plurality of pixels in each which at least one lightemitting area is defined, and including a first electrode including afirst electrode extension portion extending in a first direction, and afirst electrode expansion portion formed by expanding at least a portionof the first electrode extension portion, a second electrode including asecond electrode extension portion extending in the first direction tobe spaced apart from, and to face, the first electrode extensionportion, and a second electrode bending portion formed by bending atleast a portion of the second electrode extension portion to be spacedapart from, and to face, the first electrode expansion portion, and afirst light emitting element and a second light emitting element betweenthe first electrode expansion portion and the second electrode bendingportion, and each having a long axis respectively extending indirections crossing each other, wherein the plurality of pixels includea first pixel including a first light emitting area, and a second pixeladjacent to the first pixel and including a second light emitting areaand a third light emitting area spaced apart from each other in thefirst direction.

The second electrode may include a second electrode stem extending in asecond direction crossing the first direction, wherein the secondelectrode extension portions of the first light emitting area and thesecond light emitting area are branched from the second electrode stem,and wherein the second electrode extension portions of the second lightemitting area and the third light emitting area are connected to eachother.

The first electrode expansion portion may comprise a first electrodesurface extending in the first direction and a second electrode surfaceextending in a second direction that is different from the firstdirection, wherein the second electrode bending portion may comprise athird electrode surface facing the first electrode surface and a fourthelectrode surface facing the second electrode surface, and wherein theat least one light emitting element may comprise a first light emittingelement between the first electrode surface and the third electrodesurface and a second light emitting element between the second electrodesurface and the fourth electrode surface.

The display device may further comprise: a partition wall surroundingthe light emitting area of each of the pixels and comprising an openingarea exposing the light emitting area, wherein the second electrodeextension portion and the second electrode bending portion may bedisposed between the first electrode and the partition wall.

The partition wall may be disposed between the neighboring pixels, andmay comprise a partition wall extension portion extending in the firstdirection and corresponding to the first electrode surface of the firstelectrode expansion portion and a partition wall bending portionextending in the second direction and corresponding to the secondelectrode surface of the first electrode expansion portion.

The partition wall extension portion and the partition wall bendingportion may be disposed between the second light emitting area and thirdlight emitting area of the second pixel and between the second lightemitting area of the second pixel and the first light emitting area ofthe first pixel.

The opening area may comprise a first opening portion in which the firstelectrode extension portion is disposed, a second opening portion inwhich the first electrode expansion portion is disposed and a width ofwhich in the second direction is greater than a width of the firstopening portion in the second direction, and a third opening portionwhich connects the first portion and the second opening portion and awidth of which becomes narrower along the first direction, and thepartition wall extension portion may be disposed corresponding to thesecond opening portion of the opening area, and the partition wallbending portion may be disposed corresponding to the third openingportion of the opening area.

The partition wall may comprise a first opening area exposing the firstlight emitting area of the first pixel and a second opening areaexposing the second light emitting area and third light emitting area ofthe second pixel, and the first opening area may comprise one of thesecond opening portions, and the second opening area may include theplurality of second opening portions spaced apart from each other in thefirst direction.

In the plurality of pixels, the first pixels and the second pixels maybe alternately arranged along the second direction, and the firstopening areas and the second opening areas may also be alternatelyarranged along the second direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects of the present disclosure will become moreapparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference tothe attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the portion A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the emission direction of lightemitted from light emitting elements included in the display deviceaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Q1-Q1′ of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a light emitting element according to anembodiment;

FIGS. 6 to 15 are schematic view showing a process of manufacturing adisplay device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of a display device according to anotherembodiment; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of the portion B of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Features of the inventive concept and methods of accomplishing the samemay be understood more readily by reference to the detailed descriptionof embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, embodimentswill be described in more detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. The described embodiments, however, may be embodied in variousdifferent forms, and should not be construed as being limited to onlythe illustrated embodiments herein. Rather, these embodiments areprovided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the presentinventive concept to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, processes,elements, and techniques that are not necessary to those having ordinaryskill in the art for a complete understanding of the aspects andfeatures of the present inventive concept may not be described.

Unless otherwise noted, like reference numerals denote like elementsthroughout the attached drawings and the written description, and thus,descriptions thereof will not be repeated. Further, parts not related tothe description of the embodiments might not be shown to make thedescription clear. In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements,layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

Various embodiments are described herein with reference to sectionalillustrations that are schematic illustrations of embodiments and/orintermediate structures. As such, variations from the shapes of theillustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniquesand/or tolerances, are to be expected. Further, specific structural orfunctional descriptions disclosed herein are merely illustrative for thepurpose of describing embodiments according to the concept of thepresent disclosure. Thus, embodiments disclosed herein should not beconstrued as limited to the particular illustrated shapes of regions,but are to include deviations in shapes that result from, for instance,manufacturing.

For example, an implanted region illustrated as a rectangle will,typically, have rounded or curved features and/or a gradient of implantconcentration at its edges rather than a binary change from implanted tonon-implanted region. Likewise, a buried region formed by implantationmay result in some implantation in the region between the buried regionand the surface through which the implantation takes place. Thus, theregions illustrated in the drawings are schematic in nature and theirshapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of adevice and are not intended to be limiting. Additionally, as thoseskilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may bemodified in various different ways, all without departing from thespirit or scope of the present disclosure.

In the detailed description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding ofvarious embodiments. It is apparent, however, that various embodimentsmay be practiced without these specific details or with one or moreequivalent arrangements. In other instances, well-known structures anddevices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarilyobscuring various embodiments.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,”“third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements,components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components,regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms.These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region,layer or section from another element, component, region, layer orsection. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or sectiondescribed below could be termed a second element, component, region,layer or section, without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “under,”“above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofexplanation to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will beunderstood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in use or in operation, in additionto the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the devicein the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or“beneath” or “under” other elements or features would then be oriented“above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below”and “under” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. Thedevice may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at otherorientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein shouldbe interpreted accordingly. Similarly, when a first part is described asbeing arranged “on” a second part, this indicates that the first part isarranged at an upper side or a lower side of the second part without thelimitation to the upper side thereof on the basis of the gravitydirection.

It will be understood that when an element, layer, region, or componentis referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” anotherelement, layer, region, or component, it can be directly on, connectedto, or coupled to the other element, layer, region, or component, or oneor more intervening elements, layers, regions, or components may bepresent. However, “directly connected/directly coupled” refers to onecomponent directly connecting or coupling another component without anintermediate component. Meanwhile, other expressions describingrelationships between components such as “between,” “immediatelybetween” or “adjacent to” and “directly adjacent to” may be construedsimilarly. In addition, it will also be understood that when an elementor layer is referred to as being “between” two elements or layers, itcan be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, orone or more intervening elements or layers may also be present.

For the purposes of this disclosure, expressions such as “at least oneof,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list ofelements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. Forexample, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “at least one selected fromthe group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may be construed as X only, Y only,Z only, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z, such as, forinstance, XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ. Like numbers refer to like elementsthroughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and allcombinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the presentdisclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “an” are intendedto include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises,” “comprising,” “have,” “having,” “includes,” and“including,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofthe stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes anyand all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

As used herein, the term “substantially,” “about,” “approximately,” andsimilar terms are used as terms of approximation and not as terms ofdegree, and are intended to account for the inherent deviations inmeasured or calculated values that would be recognized by those ofordinary skill in the art. “About” or “approximately,” as used herein,is inclusive of the stated value and means within an acceptable range ofdeviation for the particular value as determined by one of ordinaryskill in the art, considering the measurement in question and the errorassociated with measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., thelimitations of the measurement system). For example, “about” may meanwithin one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, 20%, 10%, 5% ofthe stated value. Further, the use of “may” when describing embodimentsof the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of thepresent disclosure.”

When a certain embodiment may be implemented differently, a specificprocess order may be performed differently from the described order. Forexample, two consecutively described processes may be performedsubstantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to thedescribed order.

Also, any numerical range disclosed and/or recited herein is intended toinclude all sub-ranges of the same numerical precision subsumed withinthe recited range. For example, a range of “1.0 to 10.0” is intended toinclude all subranges between (and including) the recited minimum valueof 1.0 and the recited maximum value of 10.0, that is, having a minimumvalue equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or lessthan 10.0, such as, for example, 2.4 to 7.6. Any maximum numericallimitation recited herein is intended to include all lower numericallimitations subsumed therein, and any minimum numerical limitationrecited in this specification is intended to include all highernumerical limitations subsumed therein. Accordingly, Applicant reservesthe right to amend this specification, including the claims, toexpressly recite any sub-range subsumed within the ranges expresslyrecited herein. All such ranges are intended to be inherently describedin this specification such that amending to expressly recite any suchsubranges would comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) and35 U.S.C. § 132(a).

The electronic or electric devices and/or any other relevant devices orcomponents according to embodiments of the present disclosure describedherein may be implemented utilizing any suitable hardware, firmware(e.g. an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or acombination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, thevarious components of these devices may be formed on one integratedcircuit (IC) chip or on separate IC chips. Further, the variouscomponents of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printedcircuit film, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printed circuit board(PCB), or formed on one substrate.

Further, the various components of these devices may be a process orthread, running on one or more processors, in one or more computingdevices, executing computer program instructions and interacting withother system components for performing the various functionalitiesdescribed herein. The computer program instructions are stored in amemory which may be implemented in a computing device using a standardmemory device, such as, for example, a random access memory (RAM). Thecomputer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transitorycomputer readable media such as, for example, a CD-ROM, flash drive, orthe like. Also, a person of skill in the art should recognize that thefunctionality of various computing devices may be combined or integratedinto a single computing device, or the functionality of a particularcomputing device may be distributed across one or more other computingdevices without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodimentsof the present disclosure.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which the present inventive conceptbelongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those definedin commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaningthat is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant artand/or the present specification, and should not be interpreted in anidealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display device according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a display device 10 may include a plurality ofpixels PX. Each of the pixels PX includes at least one light emittingelement 300 for emitting light of a given wavelength band to display agiven color.

Each of the pixels PX may include a first sub-pixel PX1, a secondsub-pixel PX2, and a third sub-pixel PX3. The first sub-pixel PX1 mayemit light of a first color, the second sub-pixel PX2 may emit light ofa second color, and the third sub-pixel PX3 may emit light of a thirdcolor. It is shown in FIG. 1 that the pixel PX includes three sub-pixelsPXn, and two pixels PX include a total of six sub-pixels PXn. In anembodiment, the first sub-pixel PX1 and the fourth sub-pixel PX4 mayemit red light of the first color, the second sub pixel PX2 and thefifth sub pixel PX5 may emit green light of the second color, and thethird sub-pixel PX3 and the sixth sub-pixel PX6 may emit blue light ofthe third color. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto,and the pixel PX may include a larger number of sub-pixels PXn. Further,in the display device 10, a plurality of pixels PX or sub-pixels PXnshown in FIG. 1 may be arranged in a first direction DR1 and a seconddirection DR2.

Each of the sub-pixels PXn of the display device 10 may include areasdefined as a light emitting area LA or a non-light emitting area NLA.The light emitting area LA is defined as an area in which a lightemitting element 300 included in the display device 10 is located toemit light of a given wavelength band. The non-light emitting area NLA,which is an area other than the light emitting area LA, is defined as anarea in which no light emitting element 300 is located and no light isemitted.

In an embodiment, each of the sub-pixels PXn of the display device 10may include at least one light emitting area LA. As shown in FIG. 1,each of the first sub-pixel PX1, the third sub-pixel PX3, and the fifthsub-pixel PX5 may include one light emitting area LA, and each of thesecond sub-pixel PX2, the fourth sub-pixel PX4, and the sixth sub-pixelPX6 may include two light emitting areas LA. Each of the pixels PX mayinclude three sub-pixels PXn, and the pixels PX of the display device 10may include different types of first-type pixels PXa and second-typepixels PXb.

For example, the first-type pixel PXa includes two sub-pixels PX1 andPX3 each having one light emitting area LA and one sub-pixel PX2 havingtwo light emitting areas LA. The second-type pixel PXb includes onesub-pixel PX5 having one light emitting area LA and two sub-pixel PX4and PX6 each having two light emitting areas LA. That is, the first-typepixel PXa may have four light emitting areas LA, the second-type pixelPXb may have five light emitting areas LA, and the display device 10 maybe provided with a plurality of unit pixels each having the first-typepixel PXa and the second-type pixel PXb.

When each sub-pixel PXn has one light emitting area LA, six sub-pixelsPXn have six light emitting areas LA. However, in the display device 10according to an embodiment, six sub-pixels PXn may have nine lightemitting areas LA. That is, in the display device 10 according to anembodiment, some of the sub-pixels PXn may include a plurality of lightemitting areas LA, and thus light emission efficiency per unit area canbe improved.

As will be described later, a plurality of electrodes, for example, afirst electrode 210 and a second electrode 220, are located in the lightemitting area LA, and a plurality of light emitting elements are locatedtherebetween. According to an embodiment, the respective light emittingelements 300 are located between the first electrode expansion portion210E (shown in FIG. 2) of the first electrode 210 and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D (shown in FIG. 2) of the second electrode220, and the light emitting elements 300 may be aligned in differentdirections. A plurality of light emitting elements 300 having differentalignment directions are arranged in one light emitting area LA, andeach light emitting area LA may have a light emitting directionaccording to the alignment direction of the light emitting element 300.Details thereof will be described later with reference to otherdrawings.

The sub-pixel PXn of the display device 10 may include a plurality ofelectrodes 210 and 220 and a plurality of light emitting elements 300.Further, the present disclosure is limited thereto, and the sub-pixelPXn may include many members not shown in FIG. 1, for example, aplurality of partition walls 400 and a plurality of insulating layers510, 520, and 550.

The plurality of electrodes 210 and 220 may be electrically connected tothe light emitting elements 300, and may receive a predetermined voltageto allow the light emitting elements to emit light. At least a portionof each of the electrodes 210 and 220 may be used in forming an electricfield in the sub-pixel PXn in order to align light emitting elements300.

The plurality of electrodes 210 and 220 may include a first electrode210 and a second electrode 220. In an embodiment, the first electrode210 may be a pixel electrode separated for each sub-pixel PXn, and thesecond electrode 220 may be a common electrode commonly connected alongeach sub-pixel PXn. One of the first electrode 210 and the secondelectrode 220 may be an anode electrode of the light emitting element300, and the other thereof may be a cathode electrode of the lightemitting element 300. However, the present disclosure is not limitedthereto.

The first electrode 210 may include a first electrode stem 210Sextending in a first direction (e.g., DR1), and may include a firstelectrode branch 210B branched from the first electrode stem 210S andextending in a second direction (e.g., DR2) crossing the firstdirection, and the second electrode 220 may include a second electrodestem 220S extending in the first direction, and may include a secondelectrode branch 220B branched from the second electrode stem 220S andextending in the second direction.

Both ends of the first electrode stem 210S of any one pixel are spacedand terminated between the respective sub-pixels PXn, and may be placedon the same straight line as the first electrode stem 210S of theadjacent sub-pixel (for example, adjacent in the first direction DR1belonging to the same row). Thus, the first electrode stem 210S locatedin each sub-pixel PXn may apply different electrical signals to thefirst electrode branch 210B, and the first electrode branches 210B maybe separately driven, respectively.

The first electrode branch 210B is branched from at least a portion ofthe first electrode stem 210S, and is spaced apart from the firstelectrode stem 210S and extends in the second direction DR2. The firstelectrode branch 210B may be branched from the first electrode stem210S, but the region branched during the manufacturing process of thedisplay device 10 may be disconnected along a cutting portion CB. Thefirst electrode branch 210B may be connected to a circuit element layerthrough an electrode contact hole CNTD formed in the first electrodeexpansion portion 210E to be described later. That is, the firstelectrode stem 210S may be a floating electrode. The first electrodebranch 210B may be terminated in a state of being spaced apart from thesecond electrode stem 220S located to face the first electrode stem210S.

According to an embodiment, the first electrode branch 210B may includea first electrode extension portion 210C extending in the seconddirection DR2 and a first electrode expansion portion 210E formed byexpanding at least a portion of the first electrode extension portion210C.

The first electrode extension portion 210C may be an electrode extendingin the direction branched from the first electrode stem 210S (e.g., inthe second direction D2), and the first expansion portion 210E may be aregion in which a portion of the first electrode extension portion 210Cis expanded in width in a direction other than the second direction DR2,for example, in the first direction DR1. That is, the width of the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E may be greater than the width of thefirst electrode extension portion 210C. The first electrode expansionportion 210E may provide a region in which the light emitting element300 is located, and the light emitting element 300 might not be locatedin the first electrode extension portion 210C. The first electrodeexpansion portion 210E may be electrically connected to a circuitelement layer through an electrode contact hole CNTD to be describedlater, and may transmit electrical signals (e.g., predetermined electricsignals) to the light emitting element 300.

The first electrode expansion portion 210E is expanded to have a width(e.g., a predetermined width), thereby including a plurality ofelectrode surfaces ES (e.g., electrode surfaces ES1-ES3, shown in FIG.2). Unlike the first electrode extension portion 210C, the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E may include one electrode surface ESextending in the second direction DR2, and another electrode surface ESextending in a different direction than the one electrode surface ES andthe first electrode extension portion 210C. According to an embodiment,the light emitting elements 300, which each have one end located on theelectrode surface ES of the first electrode expansion portion 210E, maybe aligned with different orientations. Thus, in the first electrodeexpansion portion 210E, the light emitting element 300 may be located onthe electrode surface ES, thereby forming the light emitting area LA ofeach sub-pixel PXn.

In some cases, a portion of the first electrode extension portion 210Cmay be disconnected. For example, in the case of the first sub-pixelPX1, the first sub-pixel PX1 includes one light emitting area LA, andthus one first electrode branch 210B may include one first electrodeexpansion portion 210E and one first electrode extension portion 210C.In the case of the second sub-pixel PX2, the second sub-pixel PX2includes two light emitting areas LA, and thus one first electrodebranch 210B may include two first electrode expansion portions 210E andtwo first electrode extension portions 210C.

Meanwhile, the first electrode branch 210B may not necessarily includethe first electrode expansion portion 210E, and at least one firstelectrode branch 210B may be located for each sub-pixel PXn. Unlike FIG.1, when the first electrode 210 includes one or more first electrodebranches 210B, some of the first electrode branches 2106 include thefirst electrode expansion portion 210E, whereas other first electrodebranches 210B may omit the first electrode expansion portion 210E.Detailed descriptions thereof will be referred to other embodiments.

The second electrode 220 may include a second electrode stem 220Sextending in the first direction DR1 and spaced apart from the firstelectrode branch 210S to face the first electrode branch 210S, and atleast one second electrode branch 220B branched from the secondelectrode stem 220S, and extending in the second direction DR2. Thesecond electrode stem 220S may extend to a plurality of sub-pixels PXnwhose other ends are adjacent in the first direction DR1. Thus, bothends of the second electrode stem 220S of any one pixel may be connectedto the second electrode stem 220S of respective adjacent pixels PX. Inan embodiment, the second electrode stem 220S may be connected to thesecond electrode branch 220B of each sub-pixel PXn. The plurality ofsub-pixels PXn may share one second electrode stem 220S with aneighboring sub-pixel PXn, and may receive the same electric signal. Inother embodiments, the second electrode stem 220S may be electricallyconnected to a circuit element layer through another contact hole.

The second electrode branch 220B may be spaced apart from the firstelectrode branch 2106, and may face the first electrode branch 2106, andmay be terminated in a state of being spaced apart from the firstelectrode stem 210S. One end of the second electrode branch 220B may beconnected to the second electrode stem 220S, and the other end thereofmay be located in the sub-pixel PXn in a state of being spaced apartfrom the first electrode stem 210S.

According to an embodiment, the second electrode branch 220B may includea second electrode extension portion 220C extending in the seconddirection DR2 and spaced apart from, and facing, the first electrodeextension portion 210C, and also may include a second electrode bendingportion 220D formed by bending at least a portion of the secondelectrode extension portion 220C, and which is spaced apart from, andfacing, the first electrode expansion portion 210E.

One end of the second electrode extension portion 220C is connected tothe second electrode stem 220S, and the other end thereof is spacedapart from the first electrode stem 210S and is terminated. The secondelectrode extension portion 220C is located to be spaced apart from andfacing the first electrode extension portion 210C.

A portion of the second electrode extension portion 220C may be bentsuch that the second electrode bending portion 220D is spaced apartfrom, while facing, the electrode surface ES of the first electrodeexpansion portion 210E. The second electrode bending portion 220D mayalso include a plurality of electrode surfaces ES, and these electrodesurfaces ES may be spaced apart from, while facing, the electrodesurface ES of the first electrode expansion portion 210E. For example,the second electrode bending portion 220D may include an electrodesurface extending in the second direction DR2 such that the secondelectrode bending portion 220D is spaced apart from and faces theelectrode surface ES of the first electrode expansion portion 210Eextending in the second direction DR2. Further, the second electrodebending portion 220D may include an electrode surface obtained bybending a portion of the second electrode extension portion 220C suchthat the second electrode bending portion 220D faces another electrodesurface ES that extends in another direction (e.g., other than thesecond direction DR2). According to an embodiment, the light emittingelements 300, the other end of each of which is located on the electrodesurface ES of the second electrode bending portion 220D, may be alignedwith different orientations.

In an embodiment, the plurality of second electrode branches 220B areprovided, and each of the second electrode branches 220B may include thesecond electrode bending portion 220D partially surrounding the outerelectrode surface ES of the first electrode expansion portion 210E. Itis shown in the drawings that two second electrode branches 220B arelocated in each sub-pixel PXn, and the first electrode branch 2106 ofeach sub-pixel PXn is located between the two second electrode branches220B. The first electrode branch 2106 located between the two secondelectrode branches 220B may be located such that the first electrodeexpansion portion 210E is surrounded by the second electrode bendingportion 220D. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Asdescribed above, a larger number of first electrode branches 2106 and alarger number of second electrode branches 220B may be located in eachsub-pixel PXn.

The plurality of light emitting elements 300 may be respectively locatedbetween the first electrode branch 210B and the second electrodebranches 220B, for example, between the first electrode expansionportion 210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D. In some ofthe plurality of light emitting elements 300, one end of the lightemitting element 300 may be electrically connected to the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E, and the other end thereof may beelectrically connected to the second electrode bending portion 220D.

The plurality of light emitting elements 300 are located to be spacedapart from each other, and the distances therebetween are notparticularly limited. In some cases, the plurality of light emittingelements 300 are arranged adjacent to each other to form a group, andthe other light emitting elements 300 may form a group in a state ofbeing spaced apart at regular intervals, and may have non-uniformdensity, and may be aligned in one direction.

According to an embodiment, the plurality of light emitting elements 300may have a shape in which a long axis across both ends extends in onedirection, and respective directions in which the long axis ofrespective ones of the plurality of light emitting elements 300 extendmay cross each other. The light emitting elements 300 may be locatedbetween the first electrode expansion portion 210E and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D, and respective electrode surfaces ES ofthe first electrode expansion portion 210E and the second electrodebending portion 220D may extend in different directions from each other.Both ends of the light emitting element 300 may be located between thefirst electrode expansion portion 210E and the second electrode bendingportion 220D, and the direction in which the long axis of the lightemitting element 300 extends may vary depending on the direction inwhich the electrode surfaces ES extend. The display device 10 accordingto an embodiment may be configured such that the plurality of lightemitting elements 300, including the first electrode expansion portion210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D, have differentalignment directions with respect to each other.

Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 1, the display device 10 accordingto an embodiment may further include other members in addition to theplurality of electrodes 210 and 220 and the plurality of light emittingelements 300. Detailed descriptions thereof are referred to otherdrawings.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the portion A of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the display device 10 according to an embodimentmay include a plurality of contact electrodes 260 and a partition wall400 (e.g., first to third partition walls 410, 420, and 430).

The contact electrodes 260 may be respectively located to partiallyoverlap the first electrode expansion portion 210E and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D. In an embodiment, the contact electrode260 may include a first contact electrode 261 contacting the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E and one end of the light emittingelement 300, and a second contact electrode 262 contacting the secondelectrode bending portion 220D and the other end of the light emittingelement 300.

The first contact electrode 261 may have a shape partially extendingalong the outer surface of the first electrode expansion portion 210E.The second contact electrode 262 may have a shape partially extendingalong the outer surface of the second electrode bending portion 220D.That is, in an embodiment, the first contact electrode 261 and thesecond contact electrode 262 include respective surfaces extending inthe second direction DR2, and may include respective surfaces extendingin a direction other than the second direction DR2. The first contactelectrode 261 and the second contact electrode 262 may be spaced apartfrom each other, and may respectively transmit an electric signalreceived from each of the electrodes 210 and 220 to the light emittingelement 300. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, andthe display device 10 may include a larger number of contact electrodes260. Also, the contact electrode 260 may be partially cut, and the cutportions may be spaced apart from each other.

Each sub-pixel PXn may include at least one partition wall 400. AlthoughFIG. 2 shows only a third partition wall 430 located to surround thelight emitting area LA, the display device 10 according to an embodimentmay further include a first partition wall 410 (shown in FIG. 4) and asecond partition wall 420 (shown in FIG. 4), which are respectivelylocated under the first electrode expansion portion 210E and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D. First, the third partition wall 430 willbe described with reference to FIG. 2.

The third partition wall 430 may be located to surround the lightemitting area LA of each sub-pixel PXn. The third partition wall 430 maybe formed to distinguish the light emitting area LA from the non-lightemitting area NLA, and the plurality of light emitting elements 300 maybe located only in the light emitting area LA in the process ofmanufacturing the display device 10. Some areas of the first electrode210 and the second electrode 220, that is, a part of the first electrodestem 210S, a portion of the second electrode stem 220S, a portion of thefirst electrode extension portion 210C, and a portion of the secondelectrode extension portion 220C, may be located on the third partitionwall 430. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In someembodiments, when each of the electrodes 210 and 220 is formed first,the third partition wall 430 is disposed on the electrodes 210 and 220,and they may partially overlap each other.

Meanwhile, the third partition wall 430 is entirely disposed on each ofthe sub-pixels PXn, but may include opening areas (‘QA1, QA2, and QA3’of FIG. 6) exposed by the light emitting area LA and disposed tosurround the light emitting area LA. The shape of the opening area ofthe third partition wall 430 may have a structure corresponding to theshape of the light emitting area LA or each of the electrodes 210 and220 disposed in each sub-pixel PXn. Details of the opening area of thethird partition wall 430 will be described later with reference to otherdrawings.

The first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420 may beformed to substantially overlap some regions of the first electrodebranch 2106 and the second electrode branch 220B. For example, the firstpartition wall 410 may be located to overlap some regions of the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E and the first electrode extensionportion 210C, and the second partition wall 420 may be located tooverlap some regions of the second electrode bending portion 220D andthe second electrode extension portion 220C. The first partition wall410 and the second partition wall 420 may be formed to havesubstantially the same shapes as those components that are respectivelyoverlapped, and may protrude upward. Thus, the regions of the firstelectrode 210 and the second electrode 220, overlapping the firstpartition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420, may protrude tohave a thickness (e.g., a predetermined thickness). The first partitionwall 410 and the second partition wall 420 may function as reflectivepartition walls such that light emitted from the light emitting element300 located between the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220is reflected upward. Details of the plurality of partition walls 400will be described later with reference to cross-sectional views.

Meanwhile, as described above, the plurality of light emitting elements300 may be arranged to have different alignment directions. The displaydevice 10 according to an embodiment includes the light emittingelements 300 having various alignment directions, thereby improving thevisibility of the display device 10 depending on the alignmentdirection.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the emission direction of lightemitted from light emitting elements included in the display deviceaccording to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3 together with FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E and the second electrode bendingportion 220D according to an embodiment may include at least oneelectrode surface ES. The first electrode expansion portion 210E mayinclude a first electrode surface ES1 extending in the second directionDR2, and a second electrode surface ES2 and a third electrode surfaceES3 connected to respective ends of the first electrode surface ES1 andextending in respective directions that are different from the seconddirection DR2. The second electrode surface ES2 extends in a fourthdirection DR4, which is a direction between the second direction DR2 andone side of the first direction DR1, and the third electrode surface ES3extends in a third direction DR3, which is a direction between thesecond direction DR2 and the other side of the first direction DR1.

The second electrode bending portion 220D may include a fourth electrodesurface ES4 extending in the second direction DR2, spaced apart from thefirst electrode surface ES1 and facing the first electrode surface ES1,and a fifth electrode surface ES5 and a sixth electrode surface ES6connected to respective ends of the fourth electrode surface ES4 andextending in respective directions that are different from the seconddirection DR2. The fifth electrode surface ES5 is spaced apart from thesecond electrode surface ES2, faces the second electrode surface ES2,and extends in the fourth direction DR4. The sixth electrode surface ES6is spaced apart from the third electrode surface ES3, faces the thirdelectrode surface ES3, and extends in the third direction DR3.

One end of the light emitting element 300 may be located on the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E, and the other end thereof may belocated on the second electrode bending portion 220D. In an embodiment,the light emitting elements 300 may include a first light emittingelement 301 located between the first electrode surface ES1 and thefourth electrode surface ES4, a second light emitting element 302located between the second electrode surface ES2 and the fifth electrodesurface ES5, and a third light emitting element 303 located between thethird electrode surface ES3 and the sixth electrode surface ES6.

In the first light emitting element 301, the second light emittingelement 302, and the third light emitting element 303, a long axiscrossing both of respective ends may extend, and may be changeddepending on the extending direction of each corresponding electrode ES.For example, the first light emitting element 301 may be located betweenthe first electrode surface ES1 and the fourth electrode surface ES4 sothat one end thereof faces the first direction DR1, the second lightemitting element 302 may be located between the second electrode surfaceES2 and the fifth electrode surface ES5 so that one end thereof facesthe third direction DR3, and the third light emitting element 303 may belocated between the third electrode surface ES3 and the sixth electrodesurface ES6 so that one end thereof faces the fourth direction DR4.

The first light emitting element 301, the second light emitting element302, and the third light emitting element 303 are located between thefirst electrode expansion portion 210E and one second electrode bendingportion 220D. The fourth light emitting element 304, the fifth lightemitting element 305, and the sixth light emitting element 306 arelocated between the first electrode expansion portion 210E and anothersecond electrode bending portion 220D. The fourth light emitting element304 may be aligned in the same direction as the first light emittingelement 301, the fifth light emitting element 305 may be aligned in thesame direction as the third light emitting element 303, and the sixthlight emitting element 306 may be aligned in the same direction as thesecond light emitting element 302.

The light emitting element 300 to be described later with reference toFIG. 5 may include a plurality of conductive semiconductors and anactive layer located therebetween, and light may be emitted from sidesurfaces of both ends thereof. In the display device 10 including thelight emitting element 300, the emission direction of light emitted fromthe light emitting element 300 may vary depending on the alignmentdirection of the light emitting element 300. In the display device 10according to an embodiment, the plurality of light emitting elements 300may have different alignment directions from each other, therebycontrolling the emission direction of light emitted from the displaydevice 10. The first electrode expansion portion 210E includeselectrodes surfaces ES extending in a plurality of respective directionsinstead of an electrode surface ES extending in only one direction,thereby allowing the light emitting elements 300 of the display device10 to have various alignment directions. The first light emittingelement 301 is oriented such that its long axis has a first angle Θ1,which is a right angle or an acute angle formed with respect to thesecond direction DR2, the second light emitting element 302 is orientedsuch that its long axis has a second angle Θ2, which is an acute angleformed with respect to the second direction DR2, and the third lightemitting element 303 is oriented such that its long axis has a thirdangle Θ3, which is an acute angle formed with respect to the seconddirection DR2.

In an embodiment, the first angle Θ1 may have a larger value than thesecond angle Θ2. Because the long axis of the first light emittingelement 301 is oriented in the first direction DR1, the first angle 81may have a value substantially close to 90°. In contrast, because thelong axis of the second light emitting element 302 and the third lightemitting element 303 are oriented in the third direction DR3 and thefourth direction DR4, respectively, the second angle Θ2 and the thirdangle Θ3 have values that are smaller than 90°. The respective lightemitting elements 300, for example, the first light emitting element301, the second light emitting element 302, and the third light emittingelement 303, may be aligned to be not in parallel with each other, andthe extending directions of respective long axes thereof may cross eachother.

Accordingly, the emission light L emitted from each light emittingelement 300 may be emitted in various directions. First emission lightL1 and fourth emission light L4 respectively emitted from the firstlight emitting element 301 and the fourth light emitting element 304 maybe emitted in the first direction DR1 (e.g., in opposite directions withrespect to the first direction DR1). Second emission light L2 and sixthemission light L6 respectively emitted from the second light emittingelement 302 and the sixth light emitting element 306 may be emitted inthe third direction DR3 (e.g., in opposite directions with respect tothe third direction DR3). Third emission light L2 and fifth emissionlight L5 respectively emitted from the third light emitting element 303and the fifth light emitting element 305 may be emitted in the fourthdirection DR4 (e.g., in opposite directions with respect to the fourthdirection DR4).

In the display device 10 according to an embodiment, light may beemitted from the light emitting area LA of each sub-pixel PXn in variousdirections. For example, the light emitting area LA of each sub-pixelPXn may include a plurality of domains DM depending on the alignmentdirection of the corresponding light emitting elements 300. The domainsDM may include a first domain DM1 located at one side of the lightemitting area LA in the third direction DR3 based on the center of thelight emitting area LA, a second domain DM2 located at one side of thelight emitting area LA in the fourth direction DR4 based on the centerof the light emitting area LA, a third domain DM3 located at the otherside of the light emitting area LA in the third direction DR3 based onthe center of the light emitting area LA, and a fourth domain DM4located at the other side of the light emitting area LA in the fourthdirection DR4 based on the center of the light emitting area LA.

The light emitting elements 300 aligned in different directions arelocated in a respective domain DM, and may be aligned in a direction inwhich each corresponding domain DM is located, to thereby emit light.Because the first electrode 210 includes the first electrode expansionportion 210E, the light emitting element 300 may have various alignmentdirections according to the direction of the corresponding electrodesurface ES of the first electrode expansion portion 210E. Thus, in thedisplay device 10, light may be emitted from the light emitting elements300 evenly in any direction of the light emitting area LA, and thusvisibility according to the direction of the display device 10 may beimproved.

Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of insulatinglayers are located in each sub pixel PXn. The insulating layers mayinclude a first insulating layer 510, a second insulating layer 520, anda passivation layer 550. In other embodiments, the first insulatinglayer includes areas corresponding to the first electrode branch 210Band the second electrode branch 220B to entirely cover the sub-pixelPXn. The first insulating layer 510 may protect the electrodes 210 and220, and may insulate the electrodes 210 and 220 from each other suchthat the electrodes 210 and 220 are not in direct contact with eachother.

The second insulating layer 520 is located on the first insulating layer510, and at least a portion of the second insulating layer 520 islocated to partially overlap each of the electrode branches 210B and220B.

The display device 10 may include a circuit element layer located underthe electrodes 210 and 220 shown in FIG. 2. Hereinafter, a structure ofthe display device 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.4.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Q1-Q1′ of FIG. 2

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the first sub-pixel PX1, but maybe similarly applied to other pixels PX or sub-pixels PXn. FIG. 4 showsa cross-section across one end and the other end of any light emittingelement 300.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the display device 10 may include asubstrate 110, a buffer layer 115, a light blocking layer BML, a firsttransistor 120, and a plurality of electrodes 210 and 220 located on thefirst transistor 120, and a light emitting element 300. The firsttransistor 120 may include a first active material layer 126, a firstgate electrode 121, a first drain electrode 123, and a first sourceelectrode 124. The first transistor 120 may be a driving transistor thattransmits an electrical signal to the first electrode 210 of the displaydevice 10. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, andthe display device 10 may include a larger number of transistors.

The substrate 110 may be an insulating substrate. The substrate 110 maybe made of an insulating material such as glass, quartz, or polymerresin. The substrate 110 may be a rigid substrate, but may also be aflexible substrate capable of bending, folding, rolling, and the like.

The light blocking layer BML may be located on the substrate 110. Thelight blocking layer BML may be electrically connected to the firstdrain electrode 123 of the first transistor 120 to be described later.

The light blocking layer BML is located to overlap the first activematerial layer 126 of the first transistor 120. The light blocking layerBML may include a material that blocks light, thereby reducing orpreventing light from being incident on the first active material layer126. For example, the light blocking layer BML may be formed of anopaque metal material that blocks the transmission of light. Unlike FIG.4, the display device 10 may include a larger number of light blockinglayers BML. Although it is shown in the drawings that one firsttransistor 122 is located, the display device 10 may include a largernumber of transistors. Thus, the display device 10 may further include alight blocking layer BML overlapping the active material layer ofanother transistor.

The buffer layer 115 is located on the light blocking layer BML and thesubstrate 110. The buffer layer 115 may be located to entirely coverboth the substrate 110 and the light blocking layer BML. The bufferlayer 115 may reduce or prevent the diffusion of impurity ions, mayreduce or prevent the penetration of moisture or external air, and mayperform a surface planarization function. The buffer layer 115 mayinsulate the light blocking layer BML and the first active materiallayer 126 from each other.

A semiconductor layer is located on the buffer layer 115. Thesemiconductor layer may include the first active material layer 126 ofthe first transistor 120. However, the present disclosure is not limitedthereto, and the semiconductor layer may further include an activematerial layer of another transistor of the display device 10. Thesemiconductor layer may include polycrystalline silicon, monocrystallinesilicon, or oxide semiconductor.

The first gate insulating layer 170 is located on the semiconductorlayer. The first gate insulating layer 170 may be located to entirelycover both the buffer layer 115 and the semiconductor layer. The firstgate insulating layer 170 may function as a gate insulating film of thefirst transistor 120.

A first conductive layer is located on the first gate insulating layer170. The first conductive layer may include a first gate electrode 121located on the first active material layer 126 of the first transistor120 on the first gate insulating layer 170.

An interlayer insulating layer 190 is located on the first conductivelayer. The interlayer insulating layer 190 may function as an interlayerinsulating film. The interlayer insulating layer 190 may include anorganic insulating material and may perform a surface planarizationfunction.

A second conductive layer is located on the interlayer insulating layer190. The second conductive layer includes the first drain electrode 123and first source electrode 124 of the first transistor 120.

The first drain electrode 123 and the first source electrode 124 may beelectrically connected to the first active material layer 126 through arespective contact hole penetrating the interlayer insulating layer 190and the first gate insulating layer 170. The first drain electrode 123may be electrically connected to the light blocking layer BML throughanother contact hole.

A via layer 200 is located on the second conductive layer. The via layer200 may include an organic insulating material, and may perform asurface planarization function.

A plurality of partition walls 400 and a plurality of electrodes 210 and220 are located on the via layer 200. Some of the partition walls 400may be located at a boundary of each sub-pixel PXn and spaced apart fromeach other.

The partition walls 400 may be spaced apart from each other in eachsub-pixel PXn. The partition walls 400 may include a first partitionwall 410 and a second partition wall 420, which are located adjacent tothe center of the sub-pixel PXn, and a third partition wall 430 that islocated in some regions of the sub-pixel PXn and at a boundary thereof.

The third partition wall 430 may be a partition that defines a boundaryof each sub-pixel PXn. The third partition wall 430 may be located toextend in the first direction DR1 and in the second direction DR2 at theboundary of each sub-pixel PXn to form one grid pattern. The thirdpartition wall 430 may be formed to define each sub-pixel PXn and toreduce or prevent the color mixing of light emitted from each sub-pixelPXn.

The third partition wall 430 may also be located in the non-lightemitting area NLA, which is other than the light emitting area LA ofeach sub-pixel PXn. That is, the third partition wall 430 may define theboundary of each sub-pixel PXn, and may define the light emitting areaLA and the non-light emitting area NLA in each sub-pixel PXn. As will bedescribed later, when manufacturing the display device 10, the lightemitting element 300 may be aligned on an electrode by spraying anorganic material or a solvent using inkjet printing. The third partitionwall 430 may surround the first electrode expansion portion 210E andsecond electrode bending portion 220D located in each sub pixel PXn, andmay function to reduce or prevent the organic material or the solventfrom invading the boundary of the light emitting area LA. Thus, thelight emitting element 300 may be aligned between the first electrodeexpansion portion 210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D,and may form the light emitting area LA.

Meanwhile, in some embodiments, when the display device 10 furtherincludes another member, the member may be located on the thirdpartition wall 430 such that the third partition wall 430 may functionto support the member.

The first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420 arespaced apart from each other on the via layer 200 to face each other.The first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420 may serveas reflective partition walls for reflecting light emitted from thelight emitting element 300 toward the upper portion of the displaydevice 10. Each sub-pixel PXn may include a different number of firstand second partition walls 410 and 420. As shown in the drawing, thefirst partition wall 410 may face the second partition walls 420 locatedto be respectively spaced apart from opposing sides of the firstpartition wall 410. As described above, because one first electrodeexpansion portion 210E and two second electrode bending portions 220Dare located in the light emitting area LA of each sub-pixel PXn, onefirst partition wall 410 and two second partition walls 420 may belocated in an area corresponding thereto. However, the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto, and a larger number of the firstpartition walls 410 and a larger number of the second partition walls420 may be provided depending on the number of the electrodes 210 and220 located in each sub-pixel PXn.

A portion of the first electrode 210, for example, a portion of thefirst electrode expansion portion 210E and a portion of the firstelectrode extension portion 210C, may be located on the first partitionwall 410. A portion of the second electrode 220, for example, a portionof the second electrode bending portion 220D and a portion of the secondelectrode extension portion 220C, may be located on the second partitionwall 420. It is understood that the first electrode 210 and the secondelectrode 220 located on the first partition wall 410 and the secondpartition wall 420 of FIG. 4 are the first electrode expansion portion210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D, respectively.

An electrode contact hole CNTD, which penetrates the first partitionwall 410 and the via layer 200 to expose a portion of the upper surfaceof the first drain electrode 123 of the first transistor 120, may beformed in the first partition wall 410. The electrode contact hole CNTDmay be formed in an area overlapping the first electrode expansionportion 210E of the first partition wall 410, and some regions of thefirst partition wall 410 may be separated from each other by theelectrode contact hole CNTD. The first electrode expansion portion 210Emay be electrically connected to the first transistor 120 of the circuitelement layer through the electrode contact hole CNTD formed in thefirst partition wall 410.

The first partition wall 410, the second partition wall 420, and thethird partition wall 430 may be formed in substantially the sameprocess. The first partition wall 410, the second partition wall 420,and the third partition wall 430 may have a structure in which at leasta part thereof protrudes upward from the via layer 200. The firstpartition wall 410, the second partition wall 420, and the thirdpartition wall 430 may protrude upward based on the plane where thelight emitting element 300 is located, and at least a portion of theprotruding portions may have an inclination. The shapes of the firstpartition wall 410, the second partition wall 420, and the thirdpartition wall 430, which have the protruding portions or protrudingstructure, are not particularly limited. These partition walls need notbe formed to have the same step. In an embodiment, the third partitionwall 430 may be formed to have a height that is greater than that of thefirst partition wall 410 and/or the second partition wall 420. In someembodiments, the first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall420 may be omitted. The plurality of partition walls 400 may includepolyimide (PI).

The electrodes 210 and 220 are located on the first partition wall 410and the second partition wall 420. In some embodiments, some regions ofthe electrodes 210 and 220, for example, parts of the first electrodestem 210S and the second electrode stem 220S and parts of the firstelectrode extension portion 210C and the second electrode extensionportion 220C, may be located on the third partition wall 430.

The first electrode 210 is located to cover the first partition wall410, and the second electrode 220 is located to cover the secondpartition wall 420. The first electrode 210 on the first partition wall410 may be the first electrode expansion portion 210E, and may beelectrically connected to the first transistor 120 through the electrodecontact hole CNTD. The second electrode 220 on the second partition wall420 may be the second electrode bending portion 220D.

Each of the electrodes 210 and 220 may be formed as one layer as shownin the drawing. In an embodiment, the electrodes 210 and 220 may includea conductive material having high reflectance. The electrodes 210 and220 may transmit the electrical signals transmitted from the circuitelement layer to the light emitting element 300, and may concurrentlyreflect the light emitted from the light emitting element 300 throughthe first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420. In anembodiment, each of the electrodes 210 and 220 may be made of an alloycontaining aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), or lanthanum (La). However, thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto, and each of the electrodes210 and 220 may be formed as a plurality of layers, and may include amaterial such as silver (Ag), copper (Cu), indium tin oxide (ITO),indium zinc oxide (IZO), or indium tin-zinc oxide (ITZO). For example,each of the electrodes 210 and 220 may be formed to have a laminatestructure of Ag/ITO/IZO.

The first insulating layer 510 is located to partially cover the firstelectrode 210 and the second electrode 220. The first insulating layer510 may be located to cover most of the upper surfaces of the firstelectrode 210 and the second electrode 220, and may also expose aportion of the first electrode 210 and a portion of the second electrode220. The first insulating layer 510 may be located in an area where thefirst electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 are spaced apart fromeach other, and in an area between the first electrode 210 and the thirdpartition wall 430, and also in an area between the second electrode 220and the third partition wall 430. The first insulating layer 510 locatedbetween the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220 may extendin the second direction DR2 on a plane to have a linear or island shape.A portion of the first insulating layer 510 located on the firstelectrode 210 may also be located in the electrode contact hole CNTD.

The first insulating layer 510 is located to partially expose therelative flat upper surfaces of the first electrode 210 and the secondelectrode 220, and is located to overlap the inclined side surfaces ofthe first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420. Thefirst insulating layer 510 forms a flat upper surface such that thelight emitting element 300 may be located thereon, and the flat uppersurface extends toward the first electrode 210 and the second electrode220 in one direction. An extending portion of the first insulating layer510 terminates at the inclined side surfaces of the first electrode 210and the second electrode 220. Accordingly, the contact electrode 260 maybe in contact with the exposed first electrode 210 and second electrode220, and may be smoothly in contact with the light emitting element 300on the flat upper surface of the first insulating layer 510.

The first insulating layer 510 may protect the first electrode 210 andthe second electrode 220 and may insulate them from each other. Further,the first insulating layer 510 may reduce or prevent damage to the lightemitting element 300 located on the first insulating layer 510 otherwisecaused by contact with other members. However, the shape and structureof the first insulating layer 510 are not limited thereto.

In some cases, the light emitting element 300 may be located on thefirst insulating layer 510. At least one light emitting element 300 maybe located on the first insulating layer 510 located between therespective electrode branches 210B and 220B. Both ends of the lightemitting element 300 may form a surface substantially parallel to bothends of the underlying first insulating layer 510. The light emittingelement 300 may be located such that a part thereof overlaps theelectrodes 210 and 220. The light emitting element 300 may be located oneach end where the first electrode expansion portion 210E and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D face each other, and may be electricallyconnected to each of the electrodes 210 and 220 through the contactelectrode 260.

Meanwhile, the light emitting element 300 may be configured such that aplurality of layers are located in a direction horizontal to the vialayer 200. The light emitting element 300 of the display device 10according to an embodiment may include the aforementioned conductivesemiconductor and active layer, and these conductive semiconductor andactive layer may be sequentially located in a direction horizontal tothe via layer 200. The light emitting element 300 may be configured suchthat the first conductive semiconductor 310, the active layer 330, thesecond conductive semiconductor 320, and the conductive electrode layer370 may be sequentially located in a direction horizontal to the vialayer 200 (e.g., see FIG. 5). However, the present disclosure is notlimited thereto. The order in which the plurality of layers of the lightemitting element 300 are arranged may be reversed, and in some case, theplurality of layers may instead be arranged in a direction perpendicularto the via layer 200 when the light emitting element 300 has a differentstructure.

The second insulating layer 520 may be partially located on the firstinsulating layer 510 and the light emitting element 300. The secondinsulating layer 520 may function to protect the light emitting element300 and to fix, or secure, the light emitting element 300 in the processof manufacturing the display device 10. The second insulating layer 520may be located to surround or partially surround the outer surface ofthe light emitting element 300. That is, in some embodiments, some ofthe materials of the second insulating layer 520 may be located betweenthe lower surface of the light emitting element 300 and the firstinsulating layer 510. The second insulating layer 520 may extend in thesecond direction DR2 between the first electrode branch 210B and thesecond electrode branch 220B in a plan view, and may have an island orlinear shape.

Further, a portion of the second insulating layer 520 may be located inthe electrode contact hole CNTD of the first partition wall 410, and mayalso be located on the first insulating layer 510. In an embodiment, thesecond insulating layer 520 may include an organic insulating layer, andmay reduce or minimize the step that is formed by the electrode contacthole CNTD of the first partition wall 410. As shown in the drawings, thesecond insulating layer 520 located in the electrode contact hole CNTDmay planarize the upper surfaces of the first electrode 210 and thefirst insulating layer 510 on the first partition wall 410.

The contact electrode 260 is located on each of the electrodes 210 and220, the first insulating layer 510, and the second insulating layer520. The first contact electrode 261 and the second contact electrode262 are spaced apart from each other on the second insulating layer 520covering the light emitting element 300. Accordingly, the secondinsulating layer 520 may insulate the first contact electrode 261 andthe second contact electrode 262 from each other.

The first contact electrode 261 may be in contact with at least thefirst insulating layer 510, the first electrode 210 that is exposed bypatterning the first insulating layer 510, and one end of the lightemitting element 300. The second contact electrode 262 may be in contactwith at least the second electrode 220 that is exposed by patterning thefirst insulating layer 510, and with the other end of the light emittingelement 300. The first contact electrode 261 and the second contactelectrode 262 may be in contact with respective end side surfaces of thelight emitting element 300, for example, with the first conductivesemiconductor 310, the second conductive semiconductor 320, or theconductive electrode layer 370. As described above, the first insulatinglayer 510 may form a flat upper surface, so that the contact electrode260 may be smoothly in contact with the side surface of the lightemitting element 300 located on the flat upper surface of the firstinsulating layer 510.

The contact electrode 260 may include a conductive material. Forexample, the contact electrode 260 may include ITO, IZO, ITZO, oraluminum (Al). However, the material of the contact electrode 260 is notlimited thereto.

The passivation layer 550 is located on the partition wall 400, thefirst insulating layer 510, the second insulating layer 520, and thecontact electrode 260. The passivation layer 550 may function to protectmembers located on the via layer 200 from external environments.

Each of the first insulating layer 510, the second insulating layer 520,and the passivation layer 550 may include an inorganic insulatingmaterial or an organic insulating material. In an embodiment, each ofthe first insulating layer 510, the second insulating layer 520, and thepassivation layer 550 may include an inorganic insulating material suchas silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride(SiOxNy), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), or aluminum nitride (AlN). Further,each of the first insulating layer 510, the second insulating layer 520,and the passivation layer 550 may include an organic insulatingmaterial, such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin, polyamideresin, polyimide resin, unsaturated polyester resin, polyphenyleneresin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, benzocyclobutene, cardo resin,siloxane resin, silsesquioxane resin, polymethyl methacrylate,polycarbonate, or polymethyl methacrylate-polycarbonate synthetic resin.However, the material thereof is not limited thereto.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a light emitting element according to anembodiment.

The light emitting element 300 may be a light emitting diode. Forexample, the light emitting element 300 may be an inorganic lightemitting diode having a size of about a micrometer or about a nanometer,and may be made of an inorganic material. When an electric field isformed between two electrodes facing each other (e.g., facing each otherin a predetermined direction), the organic light emitting diode may bealigned between the two electrodes having polarity. The light emittingelement 300 may be aligned between the two electrodes according to theelectric field formed on the two electrodes.

The light emitting element 300 may have a shape extending in onedirection. The light emitting element 300 may have a shape of a nanorod,a nanowire, a nanotube, or the like. In an embodiment, the lightemitting element 300 may have a cylindrical shape or a rod shape.However, the shape of the light emitting element 300 is not limitedthereto, and the light emitting element 300 may have various shapes suchas a cube, a cuboid, and a hexagonal column. A plurality ofsemiconductors included in the light emitting element 300 to bedescribed later may be sequentially arranged or stacked in onedirection.

The light emitting element 300 may include semiconductor crystals dopedwith any conductive type (for example, p-type or n-type) impurity. Thesemiconductor crystals may receive an electrical signal applied from anexternal power source, and may emit the electrical signal as light of agiven wavelength band.

The light emitting element 300 according to an embodiment may emit lightof a given wavelength band. In an embodiment, the light emitted from anactive layer 330 may emit blue light having a central wavelength band ofabout 450 nm to about 495 nm. However, the central wavelength band ofthe blue light is not limited to the above range, and should beunderstood to include all wavelength ranges that can be recognized asblue in the art. Further, the light emitted from the active layer 330 ofthe light emitting element 300 is not limited thereto, and also may begreen light having a central wavelength band of about 495 nm to about570 nm, or may be red light having a central wavelength band of about620 nm to about 750 nm.

Meanwhile, the light emitting element 300 according to an embodiment mayinclude a first conductive semiconductor 310, a second conductivesemiconductor 320, an active layer 330, and an insulating film 380. Thelight emitting element 300 according to an embodiment may furtherinclude at least one conductive electrode layer 370. Although it isshown in FIG. 5 that the light emitting element 300 further includes oneconductive electrode layer 370, the present disclosure is not limitedthereto. In some cases, the light emitting element 300 may include alarger number of conductive electrode layers 370, or the conductiveelectrode layer 370 may be omitted. Description of the light emittingelement 300 to be described later may be equally applied even if thenumber of the conductive electrode layers 370 is different, or even ifthe light emitting element 300 further includes other structures.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first conductive semiconductor 310 may be, forexample, an n-type semiconductor having a first conductive type. Forexample, when the light emitting element 300 emits light of a bluewavelength band, the first conductive semiconductor 310 may include asemiconductor material having a chemical formula ofAl_(x)Ga_(y)In_(1-x-y)N (0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1, 0≤x+y≤1). For example, thesemiconductor material may be at least one of AlGaInN, GaN, AlGaN,InGaN, AlN, and InN, each being doped with n-type impurities. The firstconductive semiconductor 310 may be doped with a first conductivedopant. The first conductive dopant may be, for example, Si, Ge, or Sn.In an embodiment, the first conductive semiconductor 310 may be n-GaNdoped with n-type Si. The length of the first conductive semiconductor310 may have a range of about 1.5 μm to about 5 μm, but is not limitedthereto.

The second conductive semiconductor 320 is located on the active layer330 to be described later. The second conductive semiconductor 320 maybe, for example, a p-type semiconductor having a second conductive type.For example, when the light emitting element 300 emits light of a bluewavelength band or a green wavelength band, the second conductivesemiconductor 320 may include a semiconductor material having a chemicalformula of Al_(x)Ga_(y)In_(1-x-y)N (0≤x≤x1, 0≤y≤1, 0≤x+y≤1). Forexample, the semiconductor material may be at least one of AlGaInN, GaN,AlGaN, InGaN, AlN, and InN, each being doped with p-type impurities. Thesecond conductive semiconductor 320 may be doped with a secondconductive dopant. The second conductive dopant may be, for example, Mg,Zn, Ca, Se, or Ba. In an embodiment, the second conductive semiconductor320 may be p-GaN doped with p-type Mg. The length of the secondconductive semiconductor 320 may have a range of about 0.08 μm to about0.25 μm, but is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, although it is shown in FIG. 5 that each of the firstconductive semiconductor 310 and the second conductive semiconductor 320is formed as one layer, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.In some cases, each of the first conductive semiconductor 310 and thesecond conductive semiconductor 320 may further include a larger numberof layers, for example, clad layers or tensile strain barrier reducing(TSBR) layers.

The active layer 330 is located between the first conductivesemiconductor 310 and the second conductive semiconductor 320. Theactive layer 330 may include a material of a single or multiple quantumwell structure. When the active layer 330 includes a material of amultiple quantum well structure, the active layer 330 may have astructure in which quantum layers and well layers are alternatelylaminated. The active layer 330 may emit light by the combination ofelectron-hole pairs according to an electrical signal(s) applied throughthe first conductive semiconductor 310 and the second conductivesemiconductor 320. For example, when the active layer 330 emits light ofa blue wavelength band, the active layer 330 may include a material suchas AlGaN or AlGaInN. For example, when the active layer 330 has amultiple quantum well structure in which quantum layers and well layersare alternately laminated, the quantum wells may include a material suchas AlGaN or AlGaInN, and the well layers may include a material such asGaN or AlInN. In an embodiment, the active layer 330 includes quantumwells each containing AlGaInN and well layers each containing AlInN, andthus the active layer 330 may emit blue light having a centralwavelength band of about 450 nm to about 495 nm as described above.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the activelayer 330 may have a structure in which semiconductor materials havinghigh bandgap energy, and semiconductor materials having low bandgapenergy, are alternately laminated, and may include other group 3 togroup 5 semiconductor materials depending on the wavelength band oflight. The light emitted from the active layer 330 is not limited tolight of a blue wavelength band, and in some cases, the active layer 330may emit light of a red or green wavelength band. The length of theactive layer 330 may have a range of about 0.05 μm to about 0.25 μm, butis not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the light emitted from the active layer 330 may be emitted toboth side surfaces of the light emitting element 300, as well as to thelongitudinal outer surface of the light emitting element 300. Thedirection of the light emitted from the active layer 330 is not limitedto one direction.

The conductive electrode layer 370 may be an ohmic contact electrode.However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and theconductive electrode layer 370 may be a Schottky contact electrode. Forexample, the conductive electrode layer 370 may include at least one ofaluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), indium (In), gold (Au), silver (Ag),indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), and indium tin-zincoxide (ITZO). The conductive electrode layer 370 may include asemiconductor material doped with n-type or p-type impurities. Theconductive electrode layer 370 may include the same material, and mayinclude different materials from each other, but the present disclosureis not limited thereto.

The insulating film 380 is located to surround the outer surfaces of theplurality of semiconductors described above. In an embodiment, theinsulating film 380 may be located to surround at least the outersurface of the active layer 330, and may extend in one direction inwhich the light emitting element 300 extends. The insulating film 380may function to protect the members described above. For example, theinsulating film 380 may be formed to surround the side surfaces of themembers (e.g., the first conductive semiconductor 310, the active layer330, the second conductive semiconductor 320, and/or the conductiveelectrode layer 370), and may be formed such that both ends of the lightemitting element 300 in a length direction are exposed therethrough.

Although it is shown in FIG. 5 that the insulating film 380 may extendin the length direction of the light emitting element 300 to cover thefirst conductive semiconductor 310 to the conductive electrode layer370, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The insulating film380 may cover only the outer surface of a portion of the conductivesemiconductor as well as the active layer 330, or may cover only aportion of the outer surface of the conductive electrode layer 370 toexpose a portion of the outer surface of the conductive electrode layer370.

The thickness of the insulating film 380 may have a range of about 10 nmto about 1.0 μm, but is not limited thereto. For example, the thicknessof the insulating film 380 may be 40 nm.

The insulating film 380 may include a material having insulatingproperties, for example, silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx),silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), aluminum nitride (AlN), or aluminum oxide(Al₂O₃). Thus, the active layer 330 may reduce or prevent an electricalshort that may otherwise occur when the active layer 330 is in directcontact with an electrode through which an electrical signal istransmitted to the light emitting element 300. Further, because theinsulating film 380 protects the outer surface of the light emittingelement 300 as well as the active layer 330, it is possible to reduce orprevent the deterioration in light emission efficiency.

In some embodiments, the outer surface of the insulating film 380 may besurface-treated. When manufacturing the display device 10, the lightemitting elements 300 may be aligned by being sprayed onto theelectrodes in a state in which they are dispersed in an ink (e.g., apredetermined ink). Here, the surface of the insulating film 380 may behydrophobically or hydrophilically treated to maintain the lightemitting elements 300 in a dispersed state without being aggregated withother adjacent light emitting elements 300 in the ink.

Meanwhile, the length h of the light emitting element 300 may have arange of about 1 μm to about 10 μm, or of about 2 μm to about 6 μm, oreven of about 4 μm to about 5 μm. The diameter of the light emittingelement 300 may have a range of about 300 nm to about 700 nm, and theaspect ratio of the light emitting element 300 may have a range of about1.2 to about 100. However, the present disclosure is not limitedthereto, and the plurality of light emitting elements 300 included inthe display device 10 may have different diameters according to thecomposition difference of the active layer 330. For example, thediameter of the light emitting element 300 may have a range of about 500nm.

FIGS. 6 to 15 are schematic view showing a process of manufacturing adisplay device according to an embodiment.

First, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a plurality of partition walls 400are formed on the via layer 200. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view takenalong the line Q2-Q2′ of FIG. 6. The plurality of partition walls 400may include a first partition wall 410, a second partition wall 420, anda third partition wall 430, and the third partition wall 430 may belocated to surround the light emitting area LA of each sub-pixel PXn.That is, the third partition wall 430 may be substantially located inthe non-light emitting area NLA. The third partition wall 430 may alsobe located at the boundary of each sub-pixel PXn.

The first partition wall 410 and the second partition wall 420 areformed to overlap some regions of the first electrode expansion portion210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D, and to overlap someregions of the first electrode extension portion 210C and the secondelectrode extension portion 220C in the light emitting area LA of eachsub-pixel PXn, respectively. As described above, the first partitionwall 410 and the second partition wall 420 are formed to have the sameshape as some respective regions of the first electrode expansionportion 210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D and somerespective regions of the first electrode extension portion 210C and thesecond electrode extension portion 220C. For example, because the secondsub-pixel PX2 includes two light emitting areas LA, the second sub-pixelPX2 may be provided with a larger number of the first partition walls410 and the second partition walls 420 as compared with each of thefirst sub-pixel PX1 and the third sub-pixel PX3. The first partitionwall 410 and second partition wall 420 of the second sub-pixel PX2 maybe spaced apart from each other between the light emitting areas LA.Because detailed description of such a structure is the same as thatdescribed above, it will be omitted.

Meanwhile, as described above, the third partition wall 430 may beentirely disposed on the plurality of sub-pixels PXn, and may includeopening areas OA1,OA2, and OA3 exposing the light emitting areas LA ofthe sub-pixels PXn. For example, the third partition wall 430 mayinclude a first opening area OA1 exposing the light emitting area LA ofthe first sub-pixel PX1, a second opening area OA2 exposing the lightemitting area LA of the second sub-pixel PX2, and a third opening areaOA3 exposing the light emitting area LA of the third sub-pixel PX3. Eachof the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 is a portion in which the lightemitting elements 300 are disposed in the sub-pixel PXn, and may bedisposed corresponding to the first electrode extension portion 210E.Further, as described above, the third partition wall 430 may be formedto have a greater height than each of the first partition wall 410 andthe second partition wall 420.

Although it is shown in the drawings that only the first sub-pixel PX1,the second sub-pixel PX2, and the third sub-pixel PX3 are provided, inother embodiments other sub-pixels PXn may be provided. Hereinafter, thefirst sub-pixel PX1, the second sub-pixel PX2, and the third sub-pixelPX3 will be described as an example.

Next, referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a first electrode 210 and a secondelectrode 220 are formed on the plurality of partition walls 400. Thefirst electrode 210 includes a first electrode stem 210S and a firstelectrode branch 2106, and for example, the first electrode branch 210Bincludes a first electrode expansion portion 210E and a first electrodeextension portion 210C. The first electrode expansion portion 210E and aportion of the first electrode extension portion 210C may be located onthe first partition wall 410, and the first electrode stem 210S andanother portion of the first electrode extension portion 210C may belocated on the third partition wall 430.

The second electrode 220 includes a second electrode stem 220S and asecond electrode branch 220B, and for example, the second electrodebranch 220B includes a second electrode bending portion 220D and asecond electrode extension portion 220C. The second electrode bendingportion 220D and a portion of the second electrode extension portion220C may be located on the second partition wall 420, and the secondelectrode stem 220S and another portion of the second electrodeextension portion 220C may be located on the third partition wall 430.

Alternatively, in an embodiment in which the electrodes 210 and 220 areformed prior to the third partition wall 430, the other part of thesecond electrode extension portion 220C and the second electrode stem220S may be disposed under the third partition wall 430.

In an embodiment, each of the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 of thethird partition wall 430 may have a structure corresponding to the shapeof each of the electrodes 210 and 220 disposed in each sub-pixel PXn ina plan view. For example, the first opening area OA1 may comprise afirst opening portion P1 in which the first electrode extension portion210C is disposed, a second opening portion P2 in which the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E is disposed and a width of which in onedirection is greater than a width of the first opening portion P1 in onedirection, and a third opening portion P3 which connects the firstopening portion P1 and the second opening portion P2 and a width ofwhich becomes narrower. As described above, the first electrode 210 maycomprise the first electrode expansion portion 210E and the firstelectrode extension portion 210C, and may have a shape in which a widthis partially enlarged. The first electrode extension portions 210C aredisposed at both sides of the first electrode extension portion 210E inthe second direction DR2, and the width of the area where the electrodes210 and 220 are disposed may be relatively narrow at the portion wherethe first electrode extension portions 210C are disposed. Each of theopening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 of the third partition wall 430 maycomprise portions whose width is changed according to the shape of thefirst electrode 210.

A part of the second electrode extension portion 220C and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D may be disposed corresponding to theshape of the first electrode extension portion 210E, and may be disposedin the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 of the third partition wall 430.For example, in the second electrode extension portion 220C, a portionspaced apart from the first electrode expansion portion 210E and aportion extending to the first electrode extension portion 210C may bepartially disposed in the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3, and thesecond electrode bending portion 220D may be disposed in the openingareas OA1, OA2, and OA3. At least a part of the second electrodeextension portion 220C and at least a part of the second electrodebending portion 220D may be disposed between the first electrode 210 andthe third partition wall 430 in a cross-sectional view.

As described above, the respective sub-pixels PXn may have differentelectrode structures or light emitting areas LA from each other. Forexample, the first sub-pixel PX1 may be provided with one firstelectrode expansion portion 210E to form one light emitting area LA, andthe second sub-pixel PX2 may be provided with a plurality of firstelectrode expansion portion 210E or two first electrode expansionportion 210E to form two light emitting areas LA. Accordingly, the shapeand arrangement of the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 of the thirdpartition wall 430 may also be changed.

In an embodiment, the third partition wall 430 may comprise a firstopening area OA1 exposing the light emitting area LA of the firstsub-pixel PX1, a second opening area OA2 exposing the light emittingarea LA of the second sub-pixel PX2, and a third opening area OA3exposing the light emitting area LA of the third sub-pixel PX3. Thefirst opening area OA1 and the third opening area OA3 may comprise onesecond opening portion P2, and the second opening area OA2 may comprisea plurality of second opening portions P2 spaced apart from each otherin the second direction DR2. The plurality of second opening portions P2may be connected to the second opening area OA2 through the firstopening portion P1. The opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 of the thirdpartition wall 430 may have structures corresponding to the shape of thelight emitting area LA in which the light emitting elements 300 aredisposed, or the shapes of the electrodes 210 and 220, and thestructures of the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 disposed in therespective sub-pixels PXn may be different from each other.

Further, in the display device 10, sub-pixels each provided with onefirst electrode expansion portion 210E (for example, the first pixelsand the third sub-pixels) and sub-pixels each provided with two firstelectrode expansion portions 210E (for example, the second sub-pixels)are alternately arranged, so that, in the opening areas OA1, OA2, andOA3 of the third partition wall 430, the first opening areas OA1 and thethird opening areas OA3, and the second opening areas OA2 may also bealternately arranged along the first direction DR1.

Meanwhile, the third partition wall 430 may also be disposed between theneighboring sub-pixels PXn. A portion of the third partition wall 430,the portion being disposed between the sub-pixels PXn, may also have astructure corresponding to the shape of each of the electrodes 210 and220. In an embodiment, the third partition wall 430 may be disposedbetween the neighboring sub-pixels PXn, and may comprise a partitionwall extension portion BE extending in the second direction DRcorresponding to the first surface of the first electrode expansionportion 210E and a partition wall bending portion BE extending in thethird direction DR3 or the fourth direction DR4 corresponding to thesecond surface of the first electrode expansion portion 210E. As thepartition wall extension portion BE and the partition wall bendingportion BB have structures corresponding to the shapes of the electrodes210 and 220, their positions may be changed depending on the width ofeach of the opening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3.

In an exemplary embodiment, the partition wall extension portion BE maybe disposed corresponding to the second opening portion P2 of theopening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3, and the partition wall bending portionBB may be disposed corresponding to the third opening portion P3thereof. The first opening portion P1, the second opening portion P2,and the third opening portion P3 of the third partition wall 430 mayhave different widths. Since the widths of the first opening portion P1and the second opening portion P2 are constant, the partition wallextension portion BE may be disposed in the corresponding portion. Sincethe third opening portion P3 connects the first opening portion P1 andthe second opening portion P2 and the width thereof becomes narrower,the partition wall bending portion BB may be disposed in thecorresponding portion. For example, in the third partition wall 430disposed between the first sub-pixel PX1 and the second sub-pixel PX2,the partition wall extension portion BE and the partition wall bendingportion BB are disposed corresponding to the first electrode expansionportion 210E disposed in the first sub-pixel PX1, and they may bedisposed between the second opening portion P2 of the first opening areaOA1 and the first opening portion P1 connecting the second openingportion P2 of the second opening area OA2. The partition wall extensionportion BE and the partition wall bending portion BB may be disposed todistinguish an area between the light emitting areas LA of the first andthird sub-pixels PX1 and PX3 in which one first electrode expansionportion 210E is disposed and the light emitting areas LA of the secondsub-pixel PX2 in which two first electrode expansion portion 210E aredisposed. As shown in the drawing, the third partition wall 430 maydisposed over the plurality of sub-pixels PXn and may comprise theopening areas OA1, OA2, and OA3 so as to expose the light emitting areasLA of each of the sub-pixels PXn, and the third partition wall 430 maydistinguish the light emitting areas LA of each of the sub-pixels PXn.

In the process of manufacturing the display device 10, the firstelectrode 210 and the second electrode 220 may be initially integrallyformed without the respective sub-pixels PXn or the electrode stems andbranches being separated from each other, and then may be disconnectedin subsequent processes. As shown in FIG. 8, the first electrode 210 andthe second electrode 220 may form one electrode line without beingseparated from each other.

Next, a first insulating material layer 511 covering the first electrode210 and the second electrode 220 is formed. The first insulatingmaterial layer 511 may be located on the via layer 200 to entirely coverthe above members. The first insulating material layer 511 may bepatterned in the subsequent process to be described later to form thefirst insulating layer of FIG. 3.

Next, light emitting elements 300 are arranged in the light emittingarea of each sub-pixel PXn or on the first electrode expansion portion210E and the second electrode bending portion 220D.

In the method of aligning the light emitting elements 300, a solution S(see FIG. 11) including the light emitting elements 300 may be sprayedon the electrodes 210 and 220, and an alignment power supply may beapplied to each of the electrodes 210 and 220 to align the lightemitting elements 300. The alignment power supply may form an electricfield between the electrodes 210 and 220 to apply a dielectrophoreticforce to the light emitting elements 300. The light emitting elements300 may be aligned between the electrodes 210 and 220 in the solution Sby the dielectrophoretic force.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the solution S in which the light emittingelements 300 are dispersed is sprayed on the first insulating materiallayer 511. The method of spraying the solution S may be performed byusing various processes, such as inkjet printing, inkjet injection, slotdye coating, and slot dye printing, but the present disclosure is notlimited thereto. Steps of the first insulating material layer 511 may beformed due to the first partition wall 410, the second partition wall420, and the third partition wall 430. For example, because the thirdpartition wall 430 is formed to have a greater height, the lightemitting elements 300 sprayed on the first insulating material layer 511may be sprayed on the light emitting area LA surrounded by the thirdpartition wall 430.

Next, referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the first electrode 210 and thesecond electrode 220 applies an alignment signal to form an electricfield E therebetween. One end of the light emitting element 300 may havea first polarity, and the other end thereof may have a second polaritythat is different from the first polarity. When the light emittingelements 300 each having both ends of different polarities are placed inthe electric field E, the alignment direction of the light emittingelements 300 may be controlled by electrical forces (attractive forceand repulsive force).

When the electric field E is formed in the solution S sprayed on thefirst electrode 210 and the second electrode 220, the light emittingelements 300 may receive an electrical force by the electric field E,and the light emitting elements 300 may be arranged between the firstelectrode 210 and the second electrode 220 as a result of the electricalforce. As shown in FIG. 13, the light emitting element 300 is located onthe first insulating material layer 511 between the first electrode 210and the second electrode 220.

Here, ends of the light emitting element 300 are located on the firstelectrode 210 and the second electrode 220, respectively. That is, oneend of the light emitting element 300 may be located on the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E, and the other end thereof may belocated on the second electrode bending portion 220D. As describedabove, the first electrode expansion portion 210E and the secondelectrode bending portion 220D may include a plurality of electrodesurfaces ES extending in different directions, and the light emittingelements 300 may be aligned to have different domains DM in the lightemitting area LA.

Next, referring to FIG. 14, at least a portion of the first insulatingmaterial layer 511 is patterned to form a first insulating layer 510,and a second insulating layer 520 and a contact electrode 260 is formedon the first insulating layer 510. The description of these structuresis the same as that mentioned above. Finally, referring to FIG. 15, aportion of the first electrode 210 and a portion of the second electrode220 are cut along a cutting portion(s) CB to manufacture the displaydevice 10 of FIG. 1.

Hereinafter, other embodiments of the display device 10 will bedescribed.

Unlike in FIG. 1, the display device 10 may include a larger number ofelectrodes. A third electrode 230 and a fourth electrode 240 may belocated between the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 220,and these electrodes may be alternately arranged with respect to thecenter of the first electrode expansion portion 210E. The thirdelectrode 230 and the fourth electrode 240 may be substantially similarto any one of the first electrode branch 210B and the second electrodebranch 220B. That is, the display device 10 effectively may furtherinclude another first electrode branch 210B spaced apart from theoutside of the second electrode branch 220B of the display device 10 ofFIG. 1 and facing the outside thereof, and may include another secondelectrode branch 220B spaced apart from the other first electrode branch210B.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of a display device according to anotherembodiment, and FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of the portion B of FIG. 16.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a display device 10-1 according to anotherembodiment may further include a third electrode 230_1 and a fourthelectrode 240_1 located between a first electrode branch 210B_1 and asecond electrode branch 220B_1. The display device 10_1 of FIG. 16 isthe same as the display device 10 of FIG. 1, except that the displaydevice 10_1 of the present embodiment further includes two thirdelectrodes 230_1 and two fourth electrodes 240_1. Hereinafter, redundantdescriptions will be omitted, and the third electrode 230_1 and thefourth electrode 240_1 will be described in detail.

The display device 10-1 according to another embodiment may furtherinclude a third electrode 230_1 located between a first electrodeexpansion portion 210E_1 and a second electrode bending portion 220D_1,and may also include a fourth electrode 240_1 located between the thirdelectrode 230_1 and the first electrode 210_1.

The third electrode 230_1 may include a third electrode extensionportion 230C_1 extending in the second direction DR2, and a plurality ofthird electrode fragments 230F_1 bent according to the shape of thesecond electrode bending portion 220D_1 and spaced apart from each otherin the second direction DR2. The third electrode 230_1 may havesubstantially the same shape as the second electrode branch portion220B_1, and an area corresponding to the second electrode bendingportion 220D_1 may be cut to form the plurality of third electrodefragments 230F_1. Although it is shown in the drawings that four thirdelectrode fragments 230F_1 are formed, the present disclosure is notlimited thereto.

The third electrode 230_1 may be substantially similar to any one of thefirst electrode branches 210B_1. In an embodiment, the first electrode210_1 may include a plurality of first electrode branches 210B_1, anyone of the first electrode branches 210B_1 may include a first electrodeexpansion portion 210E_1 and a first electrode extension portion 210C_1,and others of the first electrode branches 210B_1 may form the thirdelectrode extension portion 230C_1 and the third electrode fragments230F_1. That is, during the process of manufacturing the display device10_1, like the first electrode branch 210B_1, the third electrode 230_1may be branched from the first electrode stem 210S, may be disconnectedalong a cutting portion CB_1, and may then be additionally disconnectedat respective portions to form the plurality of third electrodefragments 230F_1.

The third electrode extension portion 230C_1 may be spaced apart fromthe second electrode extension portion 220C_1 and may face the secondelectrode extension portion 220C_1. The third electrode extensionportion 230C_1 may also extend in the second direction DR2, and may belocated in the non-light emitting area NLA. The third electrode fragment230F_1 may be spaced apart from the second electrode bending portion220D_1 and may face the second electrode bending portion 220D_1. In someembodiments, the third electrode fragment 230F_1 may include anelectrode surface spaced apart from the electrode surface ES of thesecond electrode bending portion 220D_1 and facing the electrode surfaceES thereof. The third electrode fragment 230F_1 may have substantiallythe same shape as the second electrode bending portion 220D_1, and someregions of the third electrode fragment 230F_1 may be disconnected to bespaced apart from each other.

The fourth electrode 240_1 may include a fourth electrode extensionportion 240C_1 extending in the second direction DR2, and a plurality offourth electrode fragments 240F_1 that are bent according to the shapeof the first electrode expansion portion 210E_1, and that are spacedapart from each other in the second direction DR2. The fourth electrode240_1 may have substantially the same shape as the second electrodebranch portion 220B_1, and an area corresponding to the second electrodebending portion 220D_1 may be cut to form the plurality of fourthelectrode fragments 240F_1. Although it is shown in the drawings thatfour fourth electrode fragments 240F_1 are formed, the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the fourth electrode240_1 may have the same shape as the third electrode 230_1, and may belocated between the third electrode 230_1 and the first electrode branch210B_1.

The fourth electrode 240_1 may be substantially similar to any one ofthe second electrode branches 220B_1. In an embodiment, the secondelectrode 220_1 may include a plurality of second electrode branches220B_1, the two second electrode branches 220B_1 may include a secondelectrode bending portion 220D_1 and a second electrode extensionportion 220C_1, and other second electrode branches 220B_1 may form thefourth electrode extension portion 240C_1 and the fourth electrodefragments 240F_1. That is, during the process of manufacturing thedisplay device 10_1, like the second electrode branch 220B_1, the fourthelectrode 240_1 may be branched from the second electrode stem 220S, maybe disconnected along the cutting portion CB_1, and may be thenadditionally disconnected to form the four fourth electrode fragments240F_1.

The fourth electrode extension portion 240C_1 may be spaced apart fromthe first electrode extension portion 210C_1 and may face the firstelectrode extension portion 210C_1. The fourth electrode extensionportion 240C_1 may also extend in the second direction DR2 and may belocated in the non-light emitting area NLA. The fourth electrodefragment 240F_1 may be spaced apart from the first electrode expansionportion 210E_1 and may face the first electrode expansion portion210E_1. In some embodiments, the fourth electrode fragment 240F_1 mayinclude an electrode surface spaced apart from the electrode surface ESof the first electrode expansion portion 210E_1 and facing the electrodesurface ES thereof.

That is, the third electrode 230_1 and the fourth electrode 240_1 may befloating electrodes in which branches that are branched from the firstelectrode stem 210S_1 and the second electrode stem 220S_1 aredisconnected along the cutting portion(s) CB_1.

The display device 10_1 according to an embodiment may include aplurality of light emitting elements 300_1 located between the firstelectrode expansion portion 210E_1 and the fourth electrode fragment240F_1, between the fourth electrode fragment 240F_1 and the thirdelectrode fragment 230F_1, and between the third electrode fragment230F_1 and the second electrode bending portion 220D_1. The displaydevice 10_1 may further include a third contact electrode 263_1 and afourth contact electrode 264_1 located on the third electrode fragment230F_1 and the fourth electrode fragment 240F_1.

For example, as shown in FIG. 17, a first light emitting element 301_1and a second light emitting element 302_1 may be located between thefirst electrode expansion portion 210E_1 and the fourth fragment 240F_1,a third light emitting element 303_1 and a fourth light emitting element304_1 may be located between the fourth electrode fragment 240F_1 andthe third electrode fragment 230F_1, and a fifth light emitting element305_1 and a sixth light emitting element 306_1 may be located betweenthe third electrode fragment 230F_1 and the second electrode bendingportion 220D_1.

In the display device 10_1, the area where the light emitting elements300_1 are located, that is, the area among the electrodes 210_1, 220_1,230_1, and 240_1 increases, thereby increasing the number of the lightemitting elements 300_1 per unit area. Accordingly, the display device10_1 can improve the light emission efficiency per unit area.

Meanwhile, the first light emitting element 301_1, the third lightemitting element 303_1, and the fifth light emitting element 305_1 mayhave long axes oriented toward the third direction DR3, and the secondlight emitting element 302_1, the fourth light emitting element 304_1,and the sixth light emitting element 306_1 may have long axes orientedtoward the first direction DR1. That is, as described above, the displaydevice 10_1 may include light emitting elements 300_1 having differentalignment directions for each domain DM of the light emitting area LA_1,and thus the visibility of the display device 10_1 can be improved.

Further, because the third electrode fragment 230F_1 and the fourthelectrode fragment 240F_1 are spaced apart from each other, one contactelectrode may be located for each of the electrode fragments 230F_1 and240F_1.

For example, the plurality of third electrode fragments 230F_1 and theplurality of fourth electrode fragments 240F_1 are respectively spacedapart from each other, and the plurality of third contact electrodes263_1 may be in contact with one end of the third light emitting element303_1 or the fourth light emitting element 304_1 and the third electrodefragment 230F_1. The plurality of fourth contact electrodes 264_1 may bein contact with the other end of the third light emitting element 303_1or the fourth light emitting element 304_1 and the fourth electrodefragment 240F_1. Here, the plurality of third contact electrodes 263_1and the plurality of fourth contact electrodes 264_1 may be respectivelyspaced apart from each other in one direction, for example, the seconddirection DR2.

In this case, the third light emitting element 303_1 and fourth lightemitting element 304_1 of the display device 10_1 may be electricallyconnected in parallel to each other, and the third light emittingelement 303_1 may be electrically connected in series to the first lightemitting element 301_1 and the fifth light emitting element 305_1.Accordingly, unlike the display device 10 of FIG. 1, in the displaydevice 10_1 of FIG. 16, the plurality of light emitting elements 300_1are connected in series or in parallel, thereby further improving lightemission efficiency per unit area.

According to the embodiments, because the light emitting elements mayhave various alignment directions in the light emitting area of thedisplay device, the display device may improve visibility in eachdirection.

Further, because the display device further includes a plurality offloating electrodes located between the first electrode and the secondelectrode, the light emitting elements between the floating electrodesare connected in series to each other, thereby improving the lightemission efficiency per unit area.

In concluding the detailed description, those skilled in the art willappreciate that many variations and modifications can be made to thedisclosed embodiments without substantially departing from theprinciples of the present disclosure. Therefore, the disclosedembodiments of the invention are used in a generic and descriptive senseonly and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device, comprising: a first electrodecomprising a first electrode surface extending in a first direction anda second electrode surface connected to one end of the first electrodesurface and extending in a second direction that is different from thefirst direction; a second electrode comprising a third electrode surfaceextending in the first direction and spaced apart from the firstelectrode surface and facing the first electrode surface, and a fourthelectrode surface extending in the second direction and spaced apartfrom the second electrode surface and facing the second electrodesurface; and at least one light emitting element between the firstelectrode and the second electrode and comprising a first light emittingelement between the first electrode surface and the third electrodesurface and a second light emitting element between the second electrodesurface and the fourth electrode surface.
 2. The display device of claim1, wherein the light emitting element has a shape extending in onedirection, and wherein a first angle, which is an acute angle between along axis of the first light emitting element and the first direction,is different from a second angle, which is an acute angle between a longaxis of the second light emitting element and the first direction. 3.The display device of claim 2, wherein the first angle is greater thanthe second angle.
 4. The display device of claim 2, wherein the firstelectrode further comprises a fifth surface that is connected to theother end of the first electrode surface and that extends in a thirddirection that is different from the first direction and the seconddirection, wherein the second electrode further comprises a sixthsurface that is connected to the other end of the third electrodesurface, that extends in the third direction, that is spaced apart fromthe fifth surface, and that faces the fifth surface, and wherein thelight emitting element further comprises a third light emitting elementbetween the fifth surface and the sixth surface.
 5. The display deviceof claim 4, wherein a third angle, which is an acute angle between along axis of the third light emitting element and the first direction,is smaller than the first angle.
 6. The display device of claim 5,wherein directions of the long axes of the first light emitting element,the second light emitting element, and the third light emitting elementcross each other.
 7. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:a first contact electrode contacting one end of the first light emittingelement and the first electrode surface of the first electrode; and asecond contact electrode contacting the other end of the first lightemitting element and the third electrode surface of the secondelectrode.
 8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the first contactelectrode extends from a portion in which the first electrode surface isconnected to the second electrode surface in the second direction to bein contact with the second electrode surface and one end of the secondlight emitting element.
 9. The display device of claim 8, wherein thethird electrode surface of the second electrode is connected to thefourth electrode surface of the second electrode, and the second contactelectrode extends from a portion in which the third electrode surface isconnected to the fourth electrode surface in the second direction to bein contact with the fourth electrode surface and the other end of thesecond light emitting element.
 10. The display device of claim 7,wherein the second electrode comprises: a first fragment comprising thethird electrode surface; and a second fragment spaced apart from thefirst fragment and comprising the fourth electrode surface.
 11. Thedisplay device of claim 10, further comprising: a third contactelectrode contacting one end of the second light emitting element andthe second electrode surface of the first electrode; and a fourthcontact electrode contacting the other end of the second light emittingelement and the fourth electrode surface of the second fragment.
 12. Adisplay device, comprising: a first electrode comprising a firstelectrode extension portion extending in a first direction, and a firstelectrode expansion portion formed by expanding at least a portion ofthe first electrode extension portion; a second electrode comprising asecond electrode extension portion extending in the first direction tobe spaced apart from the first electrode extension portion and to facethe first electrode extension portion, and a second electrode bendingportion formed by bending at least a portion of the second electrodeextension portion to be spaced apart from the first electrode expansionportion and to face the first electrode expansion portion; and at leastone light emitting element between the first electrode expansion portionand the second electrode bending portion, and having a shape such that adirection of a long axis of the at least one light emitting elementcrosses a direction of a long axis of another light emitting element.13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the first electrodeexpansion portion comprises a first electrode surface extending in thefirst direction, and a second electrode surface extending in a seconddirection that is different from the first direction, wherein the secondelectrode bending portion comprises a third electrode surface spacedapart from the first electrode surface and facing the first electrodesurface, and a fourth electrode surface spaced apart from the secondelectrode surface and facing the second electrode surface, and whereinthe at least one light emitting element comprises a first light emittingelement between the first electrode surface and the third electrodesurface, and a second light emitting element between the secondelectrode surface and the fourth electrode surface.
 14. The displaydevice of claim 13, further comprising: a first contact electrodecontacting the first electrode expansion portion and one end of thefirst light emitting element; and a second contact electrode contactingthe second electrode bending portion and the other end of the firstlight emitting element.
 15. The display device of claim 13, furthercomprising: a third electrode between the first electrode expansionportion and the second electrode bending portion; and a fourth electrodebetween the third electrode and the second electrode bending portion,wherein the third electrode comprises a plurality of third electrodefragments spaced apart from each other in the first direction, andwherein the fourth electrode comprises a plurality of fourth electrodefragments spaced apart from each other in the first direction.
 16. Thedisplay device of claim 15, wherein the light emitting elementcomprises: a third light emitting element between the first electrodeexpansion portion and one of the third electrode fragments; a fourthlight emitting element between the third electrode fragment and one ofthe fourth electrode fragments; and a fifth light emitting elementbetween the fourth electrode fragment and the second electrode bendingportion.
 17. The display device of claim 15, wherein the third electrodefragments comprise a first sub-fragment spaced apart from, and facing,the first electrode surface of the first electrode expansion portion,and a second sub-fragment spaced apart from, and facing, the secondelectrode surface, and wherein the at least one light emitting elementcomprises a sixth light emitting element between the first electrodesurface and the first sub-fragment, and a seventh light emitting elementbetween the second electrode surface and the second sub-fragment. 18.The display device of claim 17, further comprising: a third contactelectrode contacting the first sub-fragment and one end of the sixthlight emitting element; and a fourth contact electrode contacting thesecond sub-fragment and one end of the seventh light emitting element,wherein the third contact electrode is spaced apart from the fourthcontact electrode in the first direction.
 19. A display device,comprising: a plurality of pixels in each which at least one lightemitting area is defined, and comprising: a first electrode comprising afirst electrode extension portion extending in a first direction, and afirst electrode expansion portion formed by expanding at least a portionof the first electrode extension portion; a second electrode comprisinga second electrode extension portion extending in the first direction tobe spaced apart from, and to face, the first electrode extensionportion, and a second electrode bending portion formed by bending atleast a portion of the second electrode extension portion to be spacedapart from, and to face, the first electrode expansion portion; and afirst light emitting element and a second light emitting element betweenthe first electrode expansion portion and the second electrode bendingportion, and each having a long axis respectively extending indirections crossing each other, wherein the plurality of pixelscomprise: a first pixel comprising a first light emitting area; and asecond pixel adjacent to the first pixel and comprising a second lightemitting area and a third light emitting area spaced apart from eachother in the first direction.
 20. The display device of claim 19,wherein the second electrode comprises a second electrode stem extendingin a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein the secondelectrode extension portions of the first light emitting area and thesecond light emitting area are branched from the second electrode stem,and wherein the second electrode extension portions of the second lightemitting area and the third light emitting area are connected to eachother.
 21. The display device of claim 19, wherein the first electrodeexpansion portion comprises a first electrode surface extending in thefirst direction and a second electrode surface extending in a seconddirection that is different from the first direction, wherein the secondelectrode bending portion comprises a third electrode surface facing thefirst electrode surface and a fourth electrode surface facing the secondelectrode surface, and wherein the at least one light emitting elementcomprises a first light emitting element between the first electrodesurface and the third electrode surface and a second light emittingelement between the second electrode surface and the fourth electrodesurface.
 22. The display device of claim 21, further comprising: apartition wall surrounding the light emitting area of each of the pixelsand comprising an opening area exposing the light emitting area, whereinthe second electrode extension portion and the second electrode bendingportion may be disposed between the first electrode and the partitionwall.
 23. The display device of claim 22, wherein the partition wall maybe disposed between the neighboring pixels, and comprises a partitionwall extension portion extending in the first direction andcorresponding to the first electrode surface of the first electrodeexpansion portion and a partition wall bending portion extending in thesecond direction and corresponding to the second electrode surface ofthe first electrode expansion portion.
 24. The display device of claim23, wherein the partition wall extension portion and the partition wallbending portion are disposed between the second light emitting area andthird light emitting area of the second pixel and between the secondlight emitting area of the second pixel and the first light emittingarea of the first pixel.
 25. The display device of claim 23, wherein theopening area comprises a first opening portion in which the firstelectrode extension portion is disposed, a second opening portion inwhich the first electrode expansion portion is disposed and a width ofwhich in the second direction is greater than a width of the firstopening portion in the second direction, and a third opening portionwhich connects the first portion and the second opening portion and awidth of which becomes narrower along the first direction, and thepartition wall extension portion is disposed corresponding to the secondopening portion of the opening area, and the partition wall bendingportion may be disposed corresponding to the third opening portion ofthe opening area.
 26. The display device of claim 25, wherein thepartition wall comprises a first opening area exposing the first lightemitting area of the first pixel and a second opening area exposing thesecond light emitting area and third light emitting area of the secondpixel, and the first opening area comprises one of the second openingportions, and the second opening area may include the plurality ofsecond opening portions spaced apart from each other in the firstdirection.
 27. The display device of claim 26, wherein, in the pluralityof pixels, the first pixels and the second pixels are alternatelyarranged along the second direction, and the first opening areas and thesecond opening areas are also alternately arranged along the seconddirection.